Ottawa, Alberta reach agreement on funding proposal for Calgary 2026 Olympic bid
Posted October 30, 2018 10:48 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
CALGARY – A funding proposal between the federal and Alberta governments reached in the 11th hour Tuesday could save a Calgary bid for the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Calgary 2026 bid corporation sent out an announcement Tuesday night that included a letter saying the required total of $2.875 billion of public funds, in 2018 dollars, would be met.
The letter was signed by Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, federal Minister of Sport Kirsty Duncan and included a space for Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi’s signature.
The announcement comes the same day the chair of the city of Calgary’s Olympic assessment committee recommended to council that it end its pursuit of the Games and cancel a Nov. 13 plebiscite asking Calgarians if they want the Games or not.
City council was set to decide Wednesday morning the future of the plebiscite and the bid itself.
Scott Hutcheson, board chair of the Calgary 2026 bid corporation, says in a statement he is confident all levels of government can reach an agreement in principle.
